Did You Know?

EARLY BEGINNING The San Clemente Border Patrol Station has been in operation since the U.S. Border Patrol was created in 1924.

NOT JUST A CHECKPOINT Agents stationed at the San Clemente Border Patrol Station patrol all the way up to Malibu and sometimes further north.

FAST PACE When the Interstate 5 checkpoint is active, agents have to wave through four-to-five cars per second in order to keep traffic at a safe flow.

A LOT OF SEIZURES The San Clemente Station is responsible for roughly half of the approximately $50 million in drugs seized by the San Diego sector since October 2012.

POT CARDS MEAN NOTHING Travelers to Orange County from San Diego should leave their marijuana at home. The federal government does not recognize California's medicinal marijuana ID cards. -Source: U.S. Border Patrol

Big catches 2012-13

Aug. 2, 2012: Agents find 105.47 pounds of methamphetamine worth an estimated $2.1 million in two different actions; one was at the San Clemente Border Patrol Station checkpoint.

Oct. 5, 2012: Agents make three drug seizures in a five-hour period, netting $515,960 in methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Three arrests were made.

Oct: 29, 2012: Agents seize nearly $1 million in methamphetamine and stopped two smuggling attempts. Two men arrested.

March 4, 2013: Agents arrest a man trying to smuggle more than $678, 000 worth of methamphetamine.

May 23, 2013: Agents seize $1.7 million worth of narcotics and arrest two suspects.

Note: The dates listed reflect dates when the Border Patrol released the info on the seizures.

-Source: Customs and Border Protection

Graphics

For nearly 90 years, commuters from San Diego to Orange County have had to pass through the U.S. Border Patrol's San Clemente Border Station checkpoint on busy I-5, just south of San Clemente.

The station's original purpose was to curb illegal immigration in one of the country's most problematic border sectors. It isn't just a checkpoint anymore; the station is evolving to address newer threats.

The station has been in operation since 1924 when border inspectors – as they were called at the time – set up a small checkpoint on the new highway to provide a more in-depth border security strategy.

Today the station is much larger. With the completion of the new administration building on-site, it's hard to miss. The station is also a major force behind the nation's defense strategy, which utilizes inland stations like the San Clemente station to curb narcotic smuggling, human trafficking, illegal immigration and other illicit activities.

PURPOSE

Rodney Scott, the deputy chief patrol agent of the U.S. Border Patrol's San Diego sector, said the agency's primary focus is protecting the nation's land and sea borders. The inland stations play a major role, he said.

"The threats have evolved over the years and specific to the checkpoints," Scott said.

"We know that no matter what we do right directly on the border, through tunnels, through covert activities, through ultra-lights (small aircraft) or through boats or whatever, or just sneaking through the ports of entry, we're gonna lose some people at the border," he added.

Scott said the station has a threefold mission.

Its primary mission is to protect the border with coordination from federal, state and local agencies.

The secondary mission is to patrol egress routes, or look for anything that might have gotten through a port of entry. The station also assists other agencies and local police.

EVOLUTION

The station maintains a checkpoint and often stops cars on the freeway to check for illegal narcotics, people, weapons or anything illicit in nature. In the last several years, the station has turned away from using the checkpoint too often.

Since the overarching agency – U.S. Customs and Border Protection – was formed in 2003 under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security, the San Diego sector has seen a major dip in illegal immigration, which has allowed agents to concentrate more on illicit trafficking.

"We got significant infrastructure changes at the border," Scott said, "(and) installed a significant amount of border roads, fencing, lighting in the section of border that used to be the most out of control."

An archive photo from 1969 shows the San Clemente Border Station operating with just a few trailers and agents on I-5. NATIONAL BORDER PATROL MUSEUM, ARCHIVE PHOTOS
Border Patrol agents at the San Clemente station inspect a vehicle. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
Josh Gough, deputy patrol agent in charge, brings in a stop sign that is used at the San Clemente Border Station when the checkpoint is active. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
The operations center of the San Clemente Border Station. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
The border station's new administrative building was completed in 2011. Before this structure was erected, the administrative offices were housed in trailers. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection logo on the side of a Border Patrol vehicle. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
A newer-model Border Patrol cruiser. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
A Ford Crown Victoria model Border Patrol vehicle. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
Border Patrol. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
A Border Patrol SUV with its front end raised for easier off-road maneuverability. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
A line of Border Patrol vehicles parked at the San Clemente Border Station. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER
Border Patrol agents prepare to initiate a checkpoint. JOSH FRANCIS, FOR THE REGISTER

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